Vandals Target Tilbury Salt Storage Building

Chatham-Kent public works crews are a little bit salty after someone threw asphalt chunks through a tarp roof at one of their storage facilities in Tilbury.

Police say it happened at a salt storage building sometime overnight on Friday, November 10.

Public Works South Manager Jerry Corso says the shed is inside a locked compound, so whoever did it had to hop the fence first.

“It created probably about 50 to 100 holes all over the tarp,” says Corso. “Since that tarp protects from water for our salt, we can’t have water getting in there, it’ll clump it up and then we can’t use it for our winter control.”

Corso says the cost for the cleanup and the repair so far at the salt storage facility on Tower St. is under $10,000. He says crews had to remove the asphalt pieces from the salt and they have also ordered a new tarp, which should be installed soon.

At this point, the salt hasn’t been significantly damaged by rain.

Corso says it’s the first time he has seen this level of vandalism at one of the public works yards, but he’s asking the public to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

“We’ve had small minor stuff before, but nothing to this effect,” says Corso. “All I ask is that if the public sees stuff like this happening, whether it’s at home or at the public works yard, please give police a call.”

If you saw anyone in the area of the Tilbury Water Tower on November 10, you’re asked to contact Chatham-Kent police or Crime Stoppers.